Echinacoside from Cistanche tubulosa ameliorates alcohol‐induced liver injury and oxidative stress by targeting Nrf2

Abstract Cistanche tubulosa (Schrenk) Wight, named Guan hua Rou Cong‐Rong in Chinese, is a traditional plant with liver, kidney, and intestine protective effects. Echinacoside (ECH) is its active constituent and has been found to have various biological effects, including antioxidative stress and anti‐inflammatory effects. Liver injury caused by acetaminophen or CCL 4 has been proven to benefit from ECH; however, the effects of ECH against alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remain unclear. This study was used to estimate the effect of echinacoside on nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), which ameliorates ALD by inhibiting oxidative stress and cell apoptosis through affecting Nrf2.A mouse model of ALD was established with ethanol using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, oiled staining, and biochemical indices. Alpha Mouse Liver 12 (AML‐12) cells were induced with ethanol in vitro and analyzed using western blotting, flow cytometry, and biochemical assays. In the animal model of ALD, ECH dramatically reduced liver damage, as proven by the downregulation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and HE staining. In vitro, ECH distinctly reduced the damage caused by ethanol through the decreased expression of cleaved caspase‐3 measured by western blotting. ECH significantly increased the activity of Nrf2 in vivo and in vitro. Nrf2 knockout may diminish the influence of ECH on ALD. Meanwhile, ECH also increased the expression of haem oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) and glutamate‐cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), while it inhibited levels of oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. Our findings suggest that ECH protects against ethanol‐induced liver injuries by alleviating oxidative stress and cell apoptosis by increasing the activity of Nrf2. Therefore, ECH is promising for the treatment of ALD.